Test kit shelf life and disposal
- Thread starter jake0110
- Start date
reefkprz
Active Member
good test kits have expiration dates, on all their chemicals. more inexpensive ones usually last for a year or two depending on manufacturer and the chemicals themselves. you can e-mail your test kits manufacturer to get life expectancy of the kits from them.
disposal should done in accordance with your local codes. it varies from place to place.
disposal should done in accordance with your local codes. it varies from place to place.
aztec reef
Active Member
IMVO, Leading brands of test kits are good for years, even after they expired... The only reason why makers inprint an expiration date on the box is so that they aren't liable for discrepancies or innacuracy due to age of test kit. in other words they are not as reliable as newly purchased kits.. and theres no guarantees what so ever...
Consumers usually tend to buy new test kits when the expiration date arrives..regarless of product's left overs .
I still use a few test kits that i got about a decade ago. (salifer of course). they're still reliable, accurate and rookie-proof. how do i know?? well, i double check and confirm results with the lfs's..
Chemicals/supplements in the dry form will last almost untill u ran out of them..
Liquified forms will only be good for a couple years or upon expiration date stated..
Consumers usually tend to buy new test kits when the expiration date arrives..regarless of product's left overs .
I still use a few test kits that i got about a decade ago. (salifer of course). they're still reliable, accurate and rookie-proof. how do i know?? well, i double check and confirm results with the lfs's..
Chemicals/supplements in the dry form will last almost untill u ran out of them..
Liquified forms will only be good for a couple years or upon expiration date stated..
srfisher17
Active Member
Usually, by the time they have expired; you'll have enough experience to just "sense" that the kit isnt reading properly. I agree with Aztec Reef above and use them well beyond expiration date. As to disposal; I would think that if they don't have any hazardous warning labels (I've neve seen one), they could just go out with the garbage. Used test water sure needs no special handling.
aztec reef
Active Member
Usually peeps that know how to spell zoothanthellae, have a sense when water chemistry is out of whack.. And thats when those people do elaborate testings.. But if tank has been stable and mature and no alterations to water chemistry have been made in a while.. theres no reason for everyday or even every week testing..
Also i take water samples whenever i visit the lfs, just to have that little peace of mind,, and if lfs's test results dont convince me, i just play along...
until farther analises which results in debunking the lfs theories.
I rarely do testings, Im getting so good at detecting impurities in water column that all i have to do is taste it..soon i wont be surprised if i mutate into a fish..
Thus the reason why some of my test kits are past way beyond expiration date...However i always have every test kit available, just for kicks. Or in case i feel like doing some contraversial experiments which enables me to give the lfs a taste of their own medecine
(harassment). with a poquito of missinformation..
Also i take water samples whenever i visit the lfs, just to have that little peace of mind,, and if lfs's test results dont convince me, i just play along...
until farther analises which results in debunking the lfs theories.
I rarely do testings, Im getting so good at detecting impurities in water column that all i have to do is taste it..soon i wont be surprised if i mutate into a fish..
Thus the reason why some of my test kits are past way beyond expiration date...However i always have every test kit available, just for kicks. Or in case i feel like doing some contraversial experiments which enables me to give the lfs a taste of their own medecine
srfisher17
Active Member
Originally Posted by Pulse
http:///forum/post/2716564
tested my lfs water today. their nitrates run 80+ too in their fish tanks.
This is very common; nitrates at this level won't hurt fish; a big misconception, IMO. Inverts are another story.
http:///forum/post/2716564
tested my lfs water today. their nitrates run 80+ too in their fish tanks.
This is very common; nitrates at this level won't hurt fish; a big misconception, IMO. Inverts are another story.
aztec reef
Active Member
Originally Posted by srfisher17
http:///forum/post/2716612
This is very common; nitrates at this level won't hurt fish; a big misconception, IMO. Inverts are another story.
True, but too bad that same water that fishes swin in is also plumed to the other holding tanks that house inverts and sometimes corals..(except that fancy show tank that they keep by the lfs's entrance).. Lets not forget that they also like keeping salt levels @ mucho low.
http:///forum/post/2716612
This is very common; nitrates at this level won't hurt fish; a big misconception, IMO. Inverts are another story.
True, but too bad that same water that fishes swin in is also plumed to the other holding tanks that house inverts and sometimes corals..(except that fancy show tank that they keep by the lfs's entrance).. Lets not forget that they also like keeping salt levels @ mucho low.
srfisher17
Active Member
Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
http:///forum/post/2716749
True, but too bad that same water that fishes swin in is also plumed to the other holding tanks that house inverts and sometimes corals..(except that fancy show tank that they keep by the lfs's entrance).. Lets not forget that they also like keeping salt levels @ mucho low.
Yeah. I remember, before LR & inverts, many experienced hobbiests kept fish only at around 1.017.
http:///forum/post/2716749
True, but too bad that same water that fishes swin in is also plumed to the other holding tanks that house inverts and sometimes corals..(except that fancy show tank that they keep by the lfs's entrance).. Lets not forget that they also like keeping salt levels @ mucho low.
Yeah. I remember, before LR & inverts, many experienced hobbiests kept fish only at around 1.017.
reefkprz
Active Member
Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
http:///forum/post/2716385
Usually peeps that know how to spell zoothanthellae, have a sense when water chemistry is out of whack....
Zooxanthella
or Zooxanthellae for plural
http:///forum/post/2716385
Usually peeps that know how to spell zoothanthellae, have a sense when water chemistry is out of whack....
Zooxanthella
or Zooxanthellae for plural
srfisher17
Active Member
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/2717499
Zooxanthella
or Zooxanthellae for plural
In cyberspace, nobody knows when you use a dictionary. (or spell check.)
http:///forum/post/2717499
Zooxanthella
or Zooxanthellae for plural
In cyberspace, nobody knows when you use a dictionary. (or spell check.)
aztec reef
Active Member
Thank god cyberspace is illiterate friendly